The present disclosure relates generally to a mobile power generation system, and more particularly to a gas turbine-based mobile power generation system that can provide electrical power through a generator to a plurality of electrically driven motors operating as, for example, fluid pumps in a fracturing operation (also referable to as fracking). Such remotely generated power may be in addition to or an alternative of power from the grid.
In a fracturing operation, a fluid and additive slurry including sand is injected at a wellbore into a rock formation that bears hydrocarbon to allow for fracturing as the sand remains in a created fracture in a flow path in the wellbore while most of the other injected fluids flow back and are recovered from the wellbore. The created fracture with the sand creates a permeable membrane for hydrocarbon fluids and gases (i.e., natural gas) to flow through for recovery and use as, for example, an energy source.
Electrical power may be generated and used to deliver fracturing fluid through fluid pumps to a wellbore at the fracturing operation site. Surface pumping systems including such fluid pumps are utilized to accommodate the various fluids, which pumping systems may be mobilized at wellbores on, for example, skids or tractor-trailers. A dedicated source of power may be a turbine generator coupled to a source of natural gas that drives the turbine generator to produce electrical power. The electrical power may be sent to one or more of the surface pumping systems through coupling cables such as leads to couple to and operate the fluid pumps.
The fracturing operation site often encompasses a large footprint with the number of wellbores and supporting components. The supporting components take time to be transported to the fracturing operation site and to be setup for utilization at the fracturing operation site with the wellbores. A reduction in setup time would assist with increased efficiency in use of such supporting components at the fracturing operation site. Accordingly, there exists a need for an alternative mobile power generation system.